


you fill my lungs with sweetness

by vindice



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Gen, Holidays, M/M, smitten Stephen Strange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-23 08:56:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17077265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vindice/pseuds/vindice
Summary: Stephen has one epiphany after another.





	you fill my lungs with sweetness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lantia4ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lantia4ever/gifts).



> [✿](https://youtu.be/6YfqLOWorSY)  
> For Lantia, because I will never get over her [series](https://www.archiveofourown.org/series/1030592). It ruined me for most other fics ;w;
> 
> Merry Christmas, everyone! Happy excuse to eat all you want!

Stephen steps out of the portal, orange glow fading behind him, only to be greeted by the warm atmosphere engulfing the penthouse.

There is a tree a mile tall, settled by the floor to ceiling windows overlooking New York. Ornaments — that Stephen has no doubt all the kids helped make, from the inconspicuous grease stains he just _knows_ Dum-E or Butterfingers made — are scattered at its feet, clearly waiting to be hanged from the branches. Multicolored lights are attached to the walls, showering both this room and the kitchen in a holiday gleam. Music is playing in the background with Frank Sinatra drifting around the place, rich baritone caressing his eardrums and making Stephen smile at the intimacy it creates.

It’s a nice change of pace, and in the middle of it all, his world stands.

“Ah, just in time!” Tony says, but his attention is on the things he’s holding in his hands. “You can be Santa’s helper.”

Tony’s wearing a green long sleeve a size too big to be his own, the same fluffy pajama pants from before Stephen had to leave that morning. He’s using dim fairy lights as a scarf and the oversized, purple dragon slippers Peter and Harley gave him for his birthday stand out thanks to their neon colour.

It’s practically the image that constantly welcomes him home, sans the decorations. Stephen has been waking up to this for a while, been greeted by this familiar sight every time he returns, but it never fails to make his heart skip a beat. There is always something so familiar yet so new about the man in front of him that catches him off guard.

It’s the fairy lights, right now. They’re wrapped around Tony’s shoulders, giving him an ethereal glow, the elf hat on his head only adding to the charm. Tony’s rosy cheeks make something in his chest tighten intoxicatingly sweet, and the childish glee shining in his eyes, the way he beams at Stephen, makes him dizzy.

“Really, now,” Stephen says, amused. Calm even though Tony can easily see through him if he so wishes to.

Stephen looks around the place in an attempt to hide the way he wears his heart right under his irises, thankful for the distraction and that the same reason he’s barely collected keeps Tony occupied and unaware of his thoughts. His eyes fall to the items on the counter, the corners of his mouth twitching fondly.

“Does that stocking have my name on it?”

There, lined one after another is a pile of decorations in red and gold and green and silver, variations and combinations of the like, each of them with a name and an item representing the person embroidered on the front. Stephen is next to Tony, while the kids are arranged in a half circle under them. Carol and James are a given, and even Barnes and Loki and Thor are there. Each just a few inches from the other, scattered across the obsidian marble and waiting to be set around the chimney.

“You know it does,” Tony grins, “it wouldn’t be Christmas if one of us were missing.”

He does know, but affection still swirls in his chest, as it does each time he’s reminded of that fact.

Stephen walks forward and gives in to the need of burying his nose into his partner’s neck, wrapping his arms around Tony’s waist and taking in his scent with a long breath. Levi, still on his shoulders, covers them together and Tony welcomes them readily, grin turning into something softer, more relaxed, as he melts back into the hug.

He looks up to kiss Tony, gentle and slow, enjoying the feeling of his lips against his own. There is fire under his skin and he can feel Tony’s pulse quick against the thumb he caresses his throat with, palm pressed to the side of his neck and fingers in his nape, but they are not in a hurry to get past kissing.

After a few moments they separate slowly, still chasing the other’s lips with little pecks. Stephen pulls away slightly, just enough to look at each other without going cross-eyed.

Tony’s lips are parted and glossy, an exquisite shade of pink thanks to the kiss, eyes half lidded. Stephen swallows and his Adam’s apple bobs, and Tony’s gaze follows the movement with interest–

“Sir, Master Peter and Master Harley are back from their errand.” Stephen barely refrains from jumping out of his skin as JARVIS’ silky voice startles them.

They both whirl around to see the teenagers standing under the archway.

“Get a room,” Harley deadpans. His only free hand covers Peter’s eyes while both of the brunet’s are busy holding bags.

Stephen feels his ears heat up even as he holds back the small smile threatening to make an appearance. Tony throws an incredulous look at the ceiling.

“Maybe a prolonged heads-up would be helpful, you know, next time,” he says.

“Of course, Sir.” JARVIS replies pleasantly.

Tony looks fondly resigned. “Thanks, J.”

Amusement crosses Harley’s face as he lowers his arm, and Peter beams at them as soon as he can see again. He shines so bright Stephen has the need to look away before the kid blinds him. He finds himself looking at Tony again, who seems to share his opinion as he shields his eyes with a hand, squinting.

So he _is_ shining, then. Stephen has a feeling Wong is involved, and he shakes his head in fond exasperation.

“Okay Chilly and Milly,” Tony claps his hands and points to the bags they’re carrying with a lopsided grin. “Let’s see what you’ve got there.”

Stephen watches Harley walk further inside completely undeterred by the nickname, Peter one step behind him. Unlike Harley who takes a seat on a stool, he sets the bags next to the things already on the counter before going directly to the cabinets.

“We found almost all you asked for and the things we wanted,” Harley is saying. “There was nothing Oz related that could be paired with the holiday theme, though.”

“Awww, but how are we gonna decorate for Glinda there.” Tony points at Stephen and he rolls his eyes.

“When in doubt,” Peter chimes in, head now buried in the fridge. “Go classy.”

“Dumbledore?” Tony pulls a face.

Stephen sniffs. “I like to think I’m not that much of an asshole.”

“Minerva it is, then.” Tony says with resolution. The kids laugh, and he sighs.

“Can we eat first?” Harley asks. “I’m starving.”

“I’m on it,” Peter says. They look up in time to see him making what looks like overly complicated sandwiches. Stephen didn’t know they had some of the things he has on the table. “What?” Peter asks when he notices the staring. Everyone looks away quickly.

“Nothing.” The three say in unison.

Peter squints at them suspiciously, but seems to drop it as he brightens abruptly. “Can we eat in the lab?”

Harley’s eyes lit up. “Can we?” He looks at them.

Tony gives them a genuine smile. “Of course.”

“Sweet,” Harley says, and stands to go ahead of them. “I’m gonna oil the bots.”

“LET ME OIL DUM-E!” Peter calls out excitedly, and makes to move.

“You’re making the food.” Stephen points out.

Peter deflates at that, and Tony huffs a laugh. He makes his way next to Peter.

“Stop with the puppy eyes. Go on, we’ll finish.”

Peter perks up instantly. Stephen thinks that, were he any other person, he’d have gotten secondhand whiplash long ago. This kid is, while adorable, a rollercoaster of emotions.

“Get out of here, children.” Tony rolls his eyes fondly.

Peter smiles sunnily before dropping the knife he’s been using to chop vegetables and catches up to Harley, Levi unclasping themself from Stephen to follow them. JARVIS opens the doors to the elevator without needing to be prompted.

Stephen watches them go, and only moves once the lift is gone. He walks to his partner and winds his arms around Tony’s waist from behind, nipping him playfully.

“Do they know about our plans for the holidays?” Stephen asks, chin resting on Tony’s shoulder.

Tony leans into the embrace for a moment before going back to prepping the food. He takes the knife with deft hands, lean fingers chopping neatly into the tomato on the cutting board.

“No,” Tony says, amused, “Come this time of the year, Harley always feels like I’ll forget that his birthday is on Christmas. As if that were an option.” He sighs before adding softly, “not that I can blame him.”

Stephen nods in understanding. The boys and Tony have a lot in common, including unhappy things. Family issues — even if applied differently — and fear of abandonment, just to name a few. That's why they have decorations to begin with; according to James, Tony didn’t use to be a big fan of this specific holiday, but they know he loves his family and is slowly learning to like it a little bit more each year.

Harley on the other hand, loves it both because of his little sister and his mom, and because he gets to spend part of the winter break with Tony, even if he tries to hide it.

Just like Peter when summer break comes.

“So it’s going to be a surprise, huh.”

“That’s right, snuggle muffin,” Tony says, “Now get to work. Not even your pretty face can save you from this, y’know.”

Stephen makes a show of sagging over Tony and groans, hiding the quirk of his lips against the other’s shoulder.

“Fine, I _guess_ I can lend you my services for a day.”

“How noble, _cuore mio._ ”

Tony’s tone makes it clear he’s just indulging Stephen, snorting softly, but it still has a clear undercurrent of affection that makes him all fuzzy inside.

Stephen pecks his neck one last time before moving to help. He starts smearing bread slices with mayo and a few more with different jams, listening to Tony ask FRIDAY to put on his favorite playlist.

They sing along to Highway to Hell side by side while making sandwiches for the kids, bobbing their heads to the tune, and Stephen is aware that at this point they are as much their own as they are their respective guardians’.

They are so domestic, and Stephen marvels, not for the first time, at how easy it is to be with Tony, how easy it is to love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s really convenient that Harley doesn’t have a birth date set, as far as I know uwu
> 
> Did you guys know I adore him? Well, now you do

**Author's Note:**

> God, I love these two so much


End file.
